Mövenpick Hotel Mansour Eddabhi & Palais des Congrès Marrakech — Photo by Mövenpick Hotel Marrakech

Marrakech – The Mövenpick Hotel Mansour Eddahbi Marrakech & Palais des Congrès has welcomed the arrival of the Tour Véhicules Electriques (TVE), the first ever electric vehicle road trip between Paris, other European capitals and Marrakech. Timed to coincide with COP22, the conference on climate change which took place recently in Marrakech, the TVE is the result of a partnership between the hotel, Moroccan company Green Mobility Africa (GMA), the EPAMAROC association and French agency BlueCom – all of whom share a commitment to promoting events linked with sustainable mobility.

This internationally significant event provided a major opportunity for a meeting of key partners from public and private sector businesses and organisations involved in electric vehicles and alternative energy fuels. With the market in electric vehicles almost non-existent in Morocco, the goal of this event was to promote the development of electric vehicles and the installation of charging stations across the kingdom. It is hoped that this initiative will encourage people to embrace measures aimed at enhancing sustainable mobility.

The Paris & Europe to Marrakech electric vehicle road trip is the first ever ecological rally to the African continent. In the context of the Paris Agreement and COP21, the kick-off took place on 4 November at the Paris City Hall. Departing from several major European cities, including Paris, Brussels, Zurich, Budapest and Lisbon, this spectacular 'migration of electric vehicles' converged on Marrakech on 11 November.

The event was also marked by the arrival of the COP22 flame, a photovoltaic torch christened 'Light Us' which serves as a symbol of a lasting commitment to safeguarding the future of the planet. The handover of the torch represents the continuity of progression from COP21 to COP22. In partnership with the NGO MIPAI (The Moroccan Intelligence & Public Affairs Institute), the TVE rally transported the flame to the 'ochre city' in true ecological style.

Fully committed to sustainable development and greener tourism, the Mövenpick Hotel Mansour Eddahbi Marrakech will be the first hotel in Morocco to be equipped with a temporary charging station for electric vehicles for the duration of COP22. A first in Morocco, this reflects the hotel's strong commitment to sustainable mobility.

Conscious of the environmental impact of its operations, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts was pleased to take this opportunity to showcase the good practices it adopts for the benefit of the environment, and its ecological approach in the field of sustainable tourism aimed at preserving resources, fostering a positive community and making a lasting environmental contribution. Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts aims to establish new standards with regard to sustainability through its partnership with Green Globe, an international certification organisation that promotes a proactive approach to environmental protection in order to preserve natural resources and contribute to sustainable tourism. Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts is the world's leading hotel group in terms of the number of Green Globe certifications.

Such projects allow the establishments within the Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts portfolio to demonstrate that they are responsible businesses keen to encourage innovative technology aimed at preserving the environment and moving forward in the fight against global warming.

About Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts
Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, an international

upscale hotel management company with over 16"000 staff members, is represented in 24 countries with 83 hotels, resorts and Nile cruisers currently in operation. Around 20 properties are planned or under construction, including Chiang Mai (Thailand), Bali (Indonesia) and Nairobi (Kenia). Focusing on expansion in its core markets of Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts specialises in business and conference hotels, as well as holiday resorts, all reflecting a sense of place and respect for their local communities.

Of Swiss heritage and headquartered in central Switzerland (Baar), Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts is

passionate about delivering premium service and culinary enjoyment – all with a personal touch. Committed to sustainable environments, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has become the most Green Globe certified hotel company in the world. The hotel company is owned by the Mövenpick Holding (66.7%) and the Kingdom Group (33.3%). For more information please visit www.movenpick.com.

Tina Seiler
Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts Management AG
Mövenpick